MSG and Diabetes

Diabetes is a disease of metabolism, where blood sugar is not automatically controlled
by the body. This is due either to the pancreas' inability to make enough insulin, which
clears excess blood sugar (glucose) from the blood stream, or by the body's resistance to
insulin. The result is a blood sugar reading that is
too high.

The latest
drug to treat both Diabetes AND Obesity is Liraglutide, a GLP-1 drug
that also decreases the neurotoxicity of glutamate. It not only reduced
blood glucose, but also reduced weight in "MSG-treated" obese rats.

Type 1 Diabetes

In the search to understand the mechanisms of diabetes because of its unprecedented
rise in children, it was learned that roughly 85% of those studied with Type 1 diabetes
had antibodies against glutamic acid debarboxylase (GAD) . GAD is an enzyme the body
uses to turn glutamic acid, (glutamate) into gamma amino butyric acid (GABA).

Ingesting MSG may present the patient with an excess of glutamate, which the body has
trouble converting because the immune system is attacking the very mechanism the body uses
to metabolize excess glutamate. These people already have an excess of an
amino acid the body can make - they do not need additional free glutamate in their diet.

Why should MSG matter to a diabetic?

MSG causes a very large insulin response after it is ingested since there are glutamate
receptors in the pancreas. MSG manufacturers state
that ingested MSG does not result in a corresponding increase in blood
levels of free glutamic acid, but according to the following research done
in Canada, ingested MSG DOES result in higher plasma concentrations of free
glutamic acid AND higher insulin levels as well:

We will have soon give taurine its own special page on this site.
Taurine keeps appearing in the research regarding diseases affected by MSG such as
epilepsy, vision, atrial fibrillation, and blood pressure, etc, etc...) Glutamate
uses the same transport system as cysteine, taurine's metabolic precursor, hence glutamate
competes for uptake with the amino acid the body uses to make taurine. This could
result in MSG overload causing taurine deficiency. It is interesting to note that
MSG Symptom complex shares many of the symptoms of taurine deficiency.

Since cardiovascular disease is a problem for those with diabetes, it would be wise to
avoid any blood vessel constricting foods containing the free amino acids -Tyrosine,
Tyramine and Glutamate. This means most fermented foods, as well as MSG, and hydrolyzed
protein.

In 2008, a drug trial for a Type 2 diabetes drug
was stopped because of risk of stroke.

Perhaps here we can shed some light on why: one
popular drug - Metformin - for Type 2 diabetes actually works by stressing
the body and ACTIVATING AMPK. The researchers ASSUMED by using up the
available glucose lying around it would cure both obesity AND insulin
resistance. Here at MSGTruth, we believe that the Type 2 diabetes
drugs that act this way actually CAUSE insulin resistance and stroke risk:

Activated AMPK puts the body on high alert and glucose
is used. Unfortunately the body has feedback mechanisms. The
long term effect of this is that the body tries to CONSERVE resources:
leptin resistance INCREASES - resulting in a slower metabolic resting rate
and a DECREASE in activity - both of which lead to OBESITY. In
addition AMPK actually STOPS the formation of muscle because the body is in
a state of fight or flight stress. Immediate survival takes over for
growth of muscle. And so the body does not increase its amount fat
burning muscle. Low calorie diets at the same time add MORE stress to
the situation and increase activation of AMPK further. The
body goes into starvation emergency mode: the hypothalamus ignores leptin,
hunger INCREASES, activity DECREASES and the body regains whatever weight
was lost by being under stress - and then some. This is the perfect
recipe for insulin resistance and obesity in the end, throw in stroke risk
too, and these AMPK activators look like a very BAD idea for weight loss and
insulin control. Especially when you consider that MSG and free
glutamic acid found in weight loss diet powders given by DOCTORS to obese
Type 2 diabetes patients, raise insulin by directly stimulating the pancreas
even if there is NO GLUCOSE EVEN PRESENT.

CoQ10 is being given to heart patients right now.
CoQ10 deficiency actually INHIBITS AMPK. Why are we giving ANYONE
drugs that ACTIVATE AMPK and stress the body on purpose? So we can
give them expensive glutamate blockers and CoQ10 later?

Artificial Sweeteners

Another unfortunate problem right now is that many diabetics are using artificial
sweeteners like Aspartame (Nutrasweet). Unfortunately, it contains
phenylalinine - the metabolic precursor to tyrosine. Tyrosine is well known to be a blood
pressure raiser. This is probably why many people complain of headaches after eating
Nutrasweet. Blood vessel constriction can cause headaches. Nutrasweet may actually be
dangerous for diabetics, because of its effects on the cardiovascular system.

Fruits and fruit juices already sweeten things well. Stevia, an herb
is also used as a sweetener. Currently agave is a natural
sweetener of choice touted by many doctors because it does not cause a spike
in insulin levels. Xylitol is also used lately but with a caveat
because it must be metabolized in the liver.